Orcas Senior Center has been meeting the pandemic’s challenges

||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER |||

 Since 1976, the Orcas Senior Center (OSC) has provided home-delivered and group meals; transportation; social, recreational and educational opportunities; and health-related assistance in our community. Although OSC had already planned to expand services in 2020, COVID-19 required the nonprofit to modify and increase services much more broadly and quickly than anticipated.

With Community Emergency Response funds from the Orcas Island Community Foundation, heroic efforts by volunteer Joe Symons and other OSC volunteers and staff quickly led to the development of the new Buddy Check-in Program. Buddy volunteers have contributed over 730 hours since the program began, making 3,929 check-in calls to vulnerable and isolated seniors. To volunteer or to receive calls under this program, contact John Slater: (360) 919-9318 or john@orcasseniors.org.

OSC’s original (pre-pandemic) 2020 plan predicted delivery of approximately 241 meals per month. Thanks to volunteers and a strong partnership with San Juan County and Whatcom Council on Aging, an average of 823 meals per month (8,235 total) were provided from March to December 2020. Volunteers logged 4,378 miles delivering these meals to our Orcas Island community members. The nonprofit OSC is grateful to the many donors and volunteers who made this critical effort possible.

With adaptations made for COVID safety, OSC services such as foot care continued in 2020. Other offerings including “Meeting of the Minds” (next on January 20), “the Virtual Vineyard” (next on January 24), and “Seniors Have (Virtual) Talent” (January 30), have been revised or newly-created for online presentation. To learn more about these events, to join OSC, or to donate online, please visit www.orcasseniors.org.

Thank you, community, volunteers, and staff, and best wishes to all for a happy and healthy new year!